Life is Precious, Make Yours Count...Get Involved with Extension Today!

When you get involved with University of Illinois Extension you positively impact the world you live in, right here, right now, right in your own backyard.  Whether your passion is youth, the environment, gardens, agriculture or education, investing your time and money with Extension will benefit your neighborhood, your children, your family, your local economy, your natural resources.  Read on for more details on our signature local programs.   

  4-H & Youth Development

  This national program helps

  local youth learn skills for living through

  numerous clubs, specialty camps,

  fair exhibits and more! 

Rock Island County 4-H Offers:

• 17 Community Based Clubs
  

• More than 200 4-H Exhibit Opportunities at the Fair
  

• After School Programs at Schools,                                                                     Housing Authorities, Martin Luther King Jr. Center
  

        & others

• Taste of 4-H Clubs at Local Libraries
  

• Operation Military Kids” activities for children of
  

  active duty military

• Handybuds 4-H for Special Needs Youth
  

• Teen Challenge Leadership Squad, Teen Federation
  

• Specialty camps - Science Siesta, Science Camp,
  

        Astronomy Night, ECO-Camp, Chef School, Leadership Camp,  and much more!

Horticulture

Extension Horticulture Educators partner with trained Master Gardeners to assist families, schools and community groups with educational programs, youth gardens, school enrichment programs, and related

horticulture projects.

Master Gardeners provide:

• Horticulture Therapy to Senior Citizens
  

• Nursery School “Lessons in Gardening”
  

         Seminar at the iwireless Center

• Home Horticulture Spring Series
  

• Annual Spring Plant Sale
  

• Free Horticulture Information Hotline
  

• 4-Seasons of Gardening TeleNet Workshops
  

• And more!
  

EFNEP & FNP

EFNEP (Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program) & FNP (Family Nutrition Program) provide important programs and information on what is needed for good nutrition, food buying skills, food preparation, and safe handling of foods.  

EFNEP helps limited resource families with young children eat a healthier diet and save money on food at the same time.  FNP reaches out to all ages, from schools to community centers, to teach kids and adults first hand about  healthy eating on a budget.

 

Both programs partner with these agencies, and more:

• Family Community Resource Centers
  

• DHS/Food Stamp Offices
  

• Head Start Sites & Day Cares
  

• Housing Authorities and Public Schools 
  

• Senior Citizen Centers
  

• Meal Sites
  

• Public Libraries 
  

• Farmer’s Markets
  

• Homeless and/or Transition Shelters
  

• R I County Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
  

• Grocery Stores, Churches and more!
  

Family & Commercial Agriculture

Our local agriculture programs offer a wide range of classes, workshops,

seminars and teleconferences featuring the latest research on important topics to the family and commercial farmer. 

We partner with Rock Island County Farm Bureau and other agencies to bring you these Agriculture Programs:

• Market Outlook Series 
  

• Corn and Soybean Classic
  

• Farm Income Workshop 
  

• Pesticide Education Safety
  

• Fruit & Vegetable Growers Workshop 
  

• And more!